Alabama's Roy Upchurch (5) reacts after scoring on a 4-yard pass from quarterback Greg McElroy late in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. At right is Auburn's Neiko Thorpe (15). Alabama won 26-21. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

TUSCALOOSA -- Emotional battles helped prepared Greg McElroy to guide Alabama through one of its most historic winning drives.

The senior quarterback led the march last season through 11 Auburn defenders and another 87,451 roaring fans inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. He took Alabama 79 yards in 15 plays, gobbling up more than seven minutes of clock. When he found Roy Upchurch breaking free on a play-action pass for a 4-yard touchdown pass, it was the winning play in the 2009 Iron Bowl.

"Those are the moments that define an individual's career," McElory said. "Obviously it's not an individual game, but if you can just do one little thing to affect Alabama history then you can walk away from this university feeling proud about what you've accomplished."

The drive preserved an undefeated season en route to Alabama's 13th national championship, an opportunity McElroy would not have had without breaking his word.

His mother, Jami McElroy, remembers vividly the day her son marched into his father's home office and called former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to break a verbal commitment.

Southlake (Texas) Carroll coach Todd Dodge had told McElroy he needed to make a college commitment before district play, or risk losing the starting job, Jami said.

"He wasn't ready to make a decision," Jami said.

Alabama was McElroy's first choice, but the Tide didn't offer a scholarship until the night the Tide defeated Texas Tech 13-10 in the 2006 Cotton Bowl.

McElroy committed to Alabama after an in-home visit from former head coach Mike Shula.

Afterward, McElroy's parents instructed him to phone Leach immediately with the news.

"You never want to tell your son to break a commitment," Jami said. "It was an extremely difficult call to make. ... He had to make the decision and the call."

McElroy's image began to take shape at Pomelo Drive Elementary in California.

Former kindergarten teacher Joanne Rygh still speaks glowingly of him and insists that his good-guy image is as genuine as his red hair and freckles.

"When Gregory walked in that classroom you felt an aurora that there was something special with this young man," Rygh said. "I watched him grow. And every teacher would say, 'Oh, Gregory McElroy.' And I would say, 'Yes, outstanding.' What was so wonderful about that young man was he didn't have to be in the limelight. He was always helping other people, always smiling."

McElroy's family moved him to Texas in fifth grade just before he would lose one of the most important people in his life. Tiana Teegarten, a girl McElroy knew since preschool, died in 1999 after battling cancer.

Jami begins to cry after uttering her name for the first time in many years. She said Teegarten would often be the only girl at McElroy's birthday parties, and often would visit his home.

"She was beautiful," Jami said. "To have to break it to him was one of my most difficult moments as a mother."

The loss reinforced McElroy's compassion for people.

"He is extremely appreciative of his life, and the people that surround him," Jami said. "That's one of the things I love about him."

There have been other setbacks most would consider minor, problems many would love to trade for their own.

McElroy has had to answer light-hearted questions about the B he received in Managment and Leadership, which spoiled what would have been a straight-A career at Alabama. He was one of 12 finalists in contention for the Rhodes Scholarship in Birmingham last weekend, but learned he was not selected for the prestigious honor.

And he struggled to overcome the pain of losses to South Carolina and particularly LSU, which ended Alabama's chances of repeating as national champions.

"He just took the Alabama nation on his shoulders and felt he personally let them down," Jami said. "For him, that was really hard."

And there have been tests of patience.

McElroy never started a high school football game before going 16-0 and guiding the Dragons to a state title as senior. And he had to sit three years at Alabama before getting his shot as a junior.

"This guy is one of the best guys in the country relative to anything that anybody would want to pick for anything," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "Sometimes you don't control all the factors when you get into this arena, but he's been great for us, our team, and he's a great leader. I don't see how you can be any better of a person."